New Chip to Track Alzheimer's in Real Time

Catching disease in motion.

STARTER STATS

• The number of Canadians with dementia is expected to reach nearly 1 million by 2030 and over 1.7 million by 2050.

• Young-onset dementia (under 65) is projected to reach 40,000 by 2050. 

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Concordia and McGill researchers have developed a microfluidic "lab-on-a-chip" platform that monitors how the brain's immune cells respond to toxic protein clusters associated with Alzheimer's disease.

The device tracks specialized immune cells in the brain (microglia) as they interact with harmful protein fragments that are associated with Alzheimer's, revealing how the condition progresses.

"This study demonstrates how a low-cost, portable system can capture subtle changes in the immune cell behaviour that accompanies Alzheimer’s disease, offering a valuable tool for both diagnostics and drug development."

While typical diagnostic methods rely on expensive dyes and provide static snapshots, the new chip continuously monitors cellular behaviour in real time. It's an affordable, compact device that offers promise for both early diagnostics and drug development.

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